Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-11-16
THE DUKES POISON.
u Produces Madness i'm Masaniello
and Leads To HIS Ruin

The Duke of ARGOS was nursing III
his brain a scheme OF vengeance which.
for ingenious and inhuman villainy,
would have been heard with rapture
by a crew of Dante's 6ends. This
scheme was now mature. One night,
after the proceedings in the church, he
arranged splendid supper at the cas-
tie, at which Masaniello and his wife
were the chief guests. There, either
in a glass of wine, OF, as others say, in
a ripe fig, Masaniello swallowed
strange poison, which had been COM
pounded by the Dukes physician, Don
hajella. This drug was not intended
to take life; its effect was more terrific;
it was of the nature of 1.-The insane
root, which takes the reason prisoner"
The victim, when he sat down to the
banquet table, was man OF great and
striking powers of mind, pre-eminently
cool, wary, reSolute and sagacious.
When he rose up from il he was a mad
maui
The effect of this atrocIous scheme
was soon apparent. The supper ended;
the guests departed and nothing un-
nsual was observed. But early the
next morning the people in the streets
were startled at the spectacle of Masa-
niellu, in a ragged shirt and with a
stocking on one leg, running at full
speed toward the castle. at the en-
trance he demanded audience of the
yiceroy. The guards, who knew him,
burst not bar his passage and he made
his way into the dukes presence, cry
Ing aloud that he was starving. The
false and smiling Ponce de Leon looked
upon his handiwork with glistening
eyes. Food was brought, but wretched
man would now touch nothing. a new
within had seized him. They would 90,
the duke and he together. to Posilippo,
and spend the day in pleasure. The
Duke eluded the proposal Oh the score of
pressing business; and Masaniello
sailed alone IN the dukes gondola.
Forty boats of gazers, lost in wonder,
watched his progress from the shore
During the voyage he amused himself
by fiinging handfuls of gold COINS into
the water, and shouted with laughter.
as the sailors dived to fetch them. AT
Posllippo, he ordered rich feast to be
set out; and it Is said before the boat 3
head turned at evening toward Naples,
he had drunk twelve bottles OF Lacry-
ma Christi, the rich and gIddy wine
which rIpens only on the ranges of
Vesuylus. Keeling with the effects OF
wine and poison, he was taken to his
bed. The next morning he was raving.
lie called for a horse. and with a bare
sword in hand, rode furiOusly about
the streets, slashing at all who ven,
tured to oppose him. AT length, he
found his way to the seashore. Al
! sight of the sea he threw himself from
the saddle, and shrieking out that he
was In flames, rushed, dressed as he
was, into the waves. But all the waters
of the ocean could not quench the fire
that burnt him up. AS soon as hs
emerged, he broke into fresh freaks oi
I violence. He swore that he would fire
the city; he hurled himself, sword Ii
! hand, upon the Dysraiidrrss-i osz.
friends were forced to seize and over
power him, to bind him with a chain
and To lead him TO his house, where h'
was placed under guard.
The plot had been most cunningly
contriyed. 1t WAS fatally successful.